Residual Radioactivity Levels - doe-std-1128-98

DOE-STD-1128-98

-- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (USC, 1976a) - This act

authorizes the EPA and the States to regulate hazardous and solid wastes.

-- Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

(CERCLA) (USC, 1980) and 40 CFR 300 (EPA, 1992c) - This act requires the

identification and cleanup of inactive hazardous waste sites by responsible

parties, and imposes certain response and reporting requirements for releases of

hazardous substances.

-- Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) (USC, 1986) and 40

CFR 300 (EPA, 1992c).

Interagency agreements can also exist between DOE, EPA, state, and local

agencies (Daugherty, 1993). Any special arrangement agreed to as part of an

interagency agreement will need to be honored during the D&D activities.

10.1.2 Residual Radioactivity Levels

A primary concern in the D&D of any nuclear facility is the level of residual

radioactivity that may be permitted for unrestricted use. However, the emphasis of

this document is on occupational radiological protection. See Section 4.2.4 for

guidance on contamination monitoring in the workplace. Additional information on

acceptable residual levels may be found in the following sources. This list is not

inclusive and facilities must determine the applicable requirements. The U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in Regulatory Guide 1.86, Termination of

Operating Licenses for Nuclear Reactors (AEC, 1974), and ANSI/HPS N13.12

(ANSI, 1999b), provide definitive values for acceptable surface contamination

levels for termination of operating licenses for nuclear reactors and for materials,

equipment, and facilities.

The EPA has been mandated by Congress to develop guidelines that will be

applicable to all nuclear facilities as well as to the release of formerly contaminated

or controlled radioactive facilities for unrestricted release. Such guidelines will

likely be based on the radiation dose to the maximum exposed member of the

general population. The maximum allowable annual dose has not yet been

determined, but values of 50, 10, 1, and 0.1 mrem/y are being considered by the

EPA as the "de facto de minimis" levels for the disposal of contaminated material.

Section 4 of DOE Order 5400.5, Ch. 2, Radiation Protection of the Public and

Environment (DOE, 1993c), provides the following DOE guidelines for cleanup of

residual radioactive material, management of the resulting wastes, and release of

property. The basic public dose limits for exposure to residual radioactive material

in addition to natural background exposures is a 100-mrem (1-mSv) effective dose

equivalent in a year. The effective dose equivalent in a year is the sum of the

effective dose equivalent from exposures to radiation sources external to the body

during the year plus the cumulative effective dose equivalent (CEDE) from

radionuclides taken into the body during the year.

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